


We are home now

by madhaj



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Family Feels, Post-Canon, Season/Series 05
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-12
Updated: 2017-08-13
Packaged: 2018-11-13 10:30:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11183232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madhaj/pseuds/madhaj
Summary: This is my take of Oliver and Felicity dealing with the aftermath of Season 5 Finale. Everything until the finale happened.I make the assumption that William's mother died in Lian Yiu.





	1. back home

**Author's Note:**

> Hello friends :)
> 
> Sorry for the lazy summary.  
> I am not sure about where this is going. Here is a little something.
> 
> Enjoy :)

Oliver enters the room, looking for Felicity. 

“ Hey ” he addresses her once he spots her looking through her drawers. 

“ Hey, is William settled?” 

“ Yes, I think he is”, for now. 

Oliver walks slowly towards her, as she turns to him. He is hesitant about this whole situation they found themselves in. Everything happened very fast. Since they came back from Lian Yiu, they have established somewhat a routine. But it is precarious. He knows it. They didn’t take the time to talk, and he knows they need to. About them, where they stand now. And about William.

“ I was thinking…” he starts “I should look for a place to live. William needs stability, after everything that happened to him.” He looks at Felicity, as a frown takes place right between her eyebrows. 

“What are you talking about?” She asks confused, but also a little anxious. She takes a step towards him, but he doesn’t close the distance, not right now. He needs to say it.

They have been back from Lian Yiu for a week now. And that feeling of loosing her was still rough. That moment he watched the island explode, with his son in his arms, while everyone else, Thea, Felicity were back on that hellish island, lost to him. That moment, he felt horror rising inside him, then a paralyzing panic. He had held his son so tight, afraid that letting him go meant letting despair engulf him. Just the memory of it makes him shudder.

He sighs, “ Well, I know we haven’t really talked about us, and everything… and I don’t want to impose, with William leaving with me for now…” 

She takes another step closer to him “Oliver...”

“This situation isn’t easy, and we are trying to work things back together. But I can’t have you feeling obligated to William. I don’t want it like that”

When they came back, he and William had stayed at the loft, partly because it was practical, but also because he couldn’t fathom being away from her. Not after almost loosing her. It was such a close call.   
He doesn’t want to leave. But he can’t burden her, after their history, he is aware they are not back to where they were before their break up. But if he is honest, he feels closer to her. After what they have been through, together and during the time apart, he understands what it’s like to loose her, and he doesn’t want it for one second. And there was something else, about them,he feels like he doesn’t need to hold back, or hide some parts of him, and that lightens him a bit.

Oliver watches as Felicity takes what he just said. She pinches her lips, then sighs. 

“You are right, it is no easy situation” 

Oliver feels his heart sink a bit, because Felicity agrees. He doesn’t want her too.

“ And I really didn’t think about us having to take care of a child so soon” she chuckles nervously, before she sobers “ I still want to be with you. And I understand that it includes William now”. 

She looks at him intently and he holds her gaze, looking for something in it, and he relaxes as he finds it. She is determined, and that fact reassures him a bit. 

“I have no idea what it’s gonna be like, having William around” Oliver admits. 

“Well me neither, but we should find out together”

Oliver is hesitant for many reasons, William lost his mother tragically, finds himself living with his formally absently father and his fiancée. These are plenty of change for a young boy. What if he can’t be the father William needs? But one thing he doesn’t doubt is Felicity’s commitment. It’s not about her, it’s about him.

“ What if I fail him?” It takes everything in him to voice it. 

“Let’s do our best to avoid that” with that Felicity takes his hand in hers and smiles at him, “ and your first task is telling him he is home now”.


	2. dreamcatcher

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> William wakes up from a nightmare and Felicity reassures him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for you comments and kuddos on the first chapter, very much appreciated :)  
> I hope you will like this new chapter as well :)
> 
> I wanted to make Felicity talk to William, and be the start of their relationship.

It was the middle of the night. And it was hot. 

Felicity was suddenly awake. She needed to pee. Of course this happened, she drunk so much liquid in the evening because it was so hot.  
And the fact that she was sleeping near a human furnace didn’t help. Oliver had her flushed to his front, his arm around her waist. She didn’t mind usually, but tonight she was too hot for him to hug her so tight.   
She needed to pee, and for that she had to get out of bed. Not wanting to wake him, she carefully lifted his arm, slid from his side, and tiptoed to the bathroom.

After washing her hands, Felicity decided she needed a glass of cold water, or maybe two.

She walked down the stairs, not bothering to open any light, the large windows bringing enough light into the loft for her to head towards the kitchen.

Felicity took a glass from a cabinet in the kitchen and poured herself fresh water from the fridge. She finished her first glass in three gulps and poured a second glass to drink, when she heard a sound behind her.   
Felicity turned around and noticed light coming from William’s room as the door opened. Frowning, she saw him come through the threshold before he stilled. He just stood there, as if caught off guard. 

Felicity got another glass out and filled it with water, then went to William, where he was still standing by his room’s door.  
“ Hey buddy, you want some water?” she asked him, handing him the glass.  
He nodded once and took it from her. He drank it slowly before giving the empty glass back to her.

“What’s the matter William? You couldn’t sleep?”

He shrugged, not really answering her. 

“Is it too hot in your room?” Felicity tried again.

He shrugged again. Now Felicity was feeling the awkwardness from this conversation. Should she wake up Oliver? Maybe William wanted to talk to him.

“Let’s get you back to bed, I’ll stay with you until you sleep, okay?”

William looked at her for a minute before he nodded once and turned back into his room. 

He is definitely his father’s son, Felicity thought.

She followed him into the room, helped him settle in bed, and took a seat at the edge of it. 

“I had a nightmare,” William said, taking her off guard.

“Oh… You want to talk about it?”

William stayed silent for a while and Felicity thought he changed his mind. She didn’t want to push, because she knew it was hard for him, having lost his mother in such a tragic way, after being kidnapped by a mad man. And now he had to leave with his father whom he didn’t know about until last year. 

Felicity didn’t say anything, worried he would push her away. She just wanted to be here for him, so he would feel less lonely.

Then William started to speak again.

“ I dreamed about that island, I was there, alone, and I was looking for my mom. I was running everywhere but I couldn’t find her.” By the end of the sentence he started crying, and Felicity’s heart ached for him.  
“ That’s when that bad man found me again, and I was crying for help, but no one came” He wiped his tears with his hand, but more kept flowing. 

What happened on that island, and since he was taken by Adrian Chase, was very traumatic, especially for a child. Felicity was aware she wasn’t the best choice to be in this place right now. She wasn’t his parent. She didn’t have the tools to make it all go away. And Felicity knew the nightmare weren’t going away anytime soon, she has experienced it firsthand, after all those times she brushed by death herself. 

Felicity cuddled his face with her right hand, forcing him to look at her. She couldn’t let him cry, he was such a young boy. She would do anything to make him feel safe, to make him feel home. Despite loosing his mother, and loosing his house, and loosing his friends. Felicity wanted to make him feel home again, and she would do everything she could to achieve that.

William looked back at her, his eyes sad with grief and worried by the nightmare he just woke up from. Felicity wiped the tears from his cheek before speaking again.

“ That man can’t hurt you anymore, I promise you. And I promise you that your father and I will do everything to keep you safe.”

William hold her gaze, his jaw clenched, holding back more tears that rushed to his eyes.

“ I know this is a lot of changes for you, and you can take the time to adjust, and hopefully you will be happy here again,” Felicity continued, “ But you can trust your father, and you can trust me”.

William nodded once after a minute, and Felicity smiled at him. She took hold of his hand and stayed by his side until he fell asleep. 

Felicity left the room, switching off the light, but not closing entirely the door behind her, to let some light come into the room. She headed back to her room before changing her mind and going back to the kitchen. Felicity filled a glass with cold water and took it with her.

When Felicity entered their room, she saw Oliver turn around in their bed, greeting her.

“ Hey, are you alright?” He asked, his voice sleepy.

“ Yes, I was thirsty” Felicity answered, before offering him the glass of water. Oliver took it gladly, drinking it in three gulps, and putting the empty glass on the nightstand.

Felicity went to her side of bed and laid down beside him. Oliver turned to face her then.

“ We need to buy a night-light for William’s room”

Oliver frowned, “Okay”.

“Go back to sleep, Oliver”

Oliver sighed and closed his eyes, drifting easily back to sleep.

Felicity watched him a moment, taking in his relaxed face. She thought of what she promised William, that Oliver will keep him safe, and she trusted that he could. But she knew that physical harm wasn’t to be feared, not with Oliver with them. Oliver adopting William, and playing the parent full time was the hardest part. And Felicity would lie if she said she even knew where to begin.

Felicity moved closer to Oliver, and closed her eyes, waiting for sleep to take over her racing thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading :)


	3. no doubt left

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Felicity take the time to talk

“Hi”

“Hi!” Felicity turned from her seat on the couch, greeting Oliver, who just came in through the front door. She smiled at him and he responded with one of his own.

Oliver came right to her, planting a small kiss to her lips.

“ Where is William”, he started.

“He went to bed, he tried to wait for you, but it was getting late,” Felicity said. 

Oliver told her this morning he wanted to come home early enough to spend time with his son, but he was held back at the office. 

“I’ll check on him,” Oliver said, stepping back. 

“Okay”, Felicity answered, watching him walk to William’s room. She returned her focus back to the book in her hands, that she was reading while waiting for Oliver to come home. 

The evening was quite for team Arrow, so she took advantage to come back home early and not let William alone too long. Sure, there was the nanny, but Felicity didn’t want William to feel neglected, especially after loosing his mother already. And Oliver was busy as mayor, with the mess Adrian Chase left behind him, and as Green Arrow, well, for the same reason actually.

After receiving a text from Oliver, letting her know he was running late, William and her dined together. And no she didn’t cook, she was trying to bound with the child, not make him sick.

Felicity knew Oliver wanted to be more present for his son, and knowing him, he probably was amassing a lot of guilt over it. Sighing, Felicity put the book on the table. She wasn’t really reading for a while, only staring at the pages, her mind elsewhere. 

Oliver finally came back to the living room, and joined her on the couch, his left hand falling on her knee. 

“Is he asleep?” Felicity asked.

“Yes. The bed lamp was on, and I left it, in case he wakes up during the night”

“Good”, Felicity was glad, ever since they bought that lamp two days ago, William seemed to fall asleep more easily.

Turning more into him, Felicity raised her right hand and placed it on the back of his neck. She pressed lightly, trying to loosen some of his tension. Oliver leaned back on her hand, and appreciative hum coming from his chest, and closed his eyes.

“ Are you hungry? There is some dinner left for you,” Felicity said, not interrupting her ministrations, seeing how appreciative he was.

“Hmm, yes, give me a minute”, Oliver said, but showing no signs of getting up.

They must talk now, Felicity thought. It has been weeks, since Oliver and William were now leaving here, and after that first night, when she told him he could stay, they didn’t really talk. It had been the easy thing to do, and after the fear of loosing him on the island… it was too much, she couldn’t fathom the idea of not being in the same place. There had been no question really, and no resistance from Oliver either.   
But that was at first, in the heat of the moment. It happened really fast. Felicity wanted to know what happened now. Will Oliver change his mind? Will she? Because William changed everything, and she was aware of that.

“Oliver?” Felicity started, not knowing how to bring it. But she needed the confirmation. She couldn’t live in the doubt. Not after everything they went through.

Oliver opened his eyes, looking at her, his eyes scrutinizing. 

“Yes, Felicity”

She opened her mouth, then closed it, her eyes holding his gaze. She felt his hand squeezing her thigh slightly. 

“Are we living together?” Felicity blurted out, then “ I mean, we are currently living together, under the same roof, and William even has his room… but are we living together, together…” Felicity closed her mouth, knowing that this might get worse if she continued, and preferred waiting for his reaction, and Oliver didn’t disappoint.

Like every time she went on a babbly rant, Oliver eyes widened slightly, then a confused expression took place as he tried to sort out what she meant. Oliver took her hand in his, squeezing it, before he spoke.

“ I know what you mean, and you are right, we didn’t really talk about us, and now we are in this situation…”  
“ Yes, and add the return of a prodigal son in the mix, and you have a jackpot” Felicity chimed in.

“ Right, this is a little far from taking it one step at a time, like we agreed a few weeks ago” Oliver said, a confident smile on his lips, his eyes never leaving hers, “ but I can’t say I don’t like it… I want it, Felicity.” There was a determination in his voice, “I want this life with you, I have wanted it for a while, you are my certainty, Felicity.”

Felicity’s breath got caught in her throat at his words, her heart beating faster. She looked in his eyes, exploring them, and he didn’t waver. They weren’t only words, she knew he meant them, but more importantly she knew he had learned from the past, just like her, and her eyes watered. 

“Felicity”

“I want this life with you too, Oliver” she answered with a small voice, as emotion has constricted her voice.

Oliver leaned in, and captured her lips, sealing their promises.

“I love you, Felicity”, Oliver said against her lips.

“I love you, Oliver”, Felicity said, a small smile on her lips.

He kissed her one more time.

“Aren’t you hungry? You should eat something” 

“Sure” Oliver said, as he got up, extending his hand for her, and she took it.


	4. Bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver looks for a way to bond with William

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all, I am very happy to see that you enjoy this story.  
> Thank you for all the kudos and comments, I appreciate them all :)  
> I hope you enjoy this new chapter :)

Oliver came down the stairs and to the kitchen, to find Felicity near the coffee maker, pouring herself a cup of coffee. She was still in her pajamas, her hair tangled from sleep. She turned around when she heard him enter the kitchen.

“Good morning,” Oliver said as he came closer to her, planting a kiss to her cheek.

“Hmm, you too,” Felicity mumbled into her mug.

Oliver chuckled. Felicity was not a morning person, and she will not start until she got coffee in her system.  
“William went to fetch his backpack,” she told him. 

Oliver helped himself a cup of coffee while waiting for his son. 

His son. Who now was living with him. With them. Oliver had still a hard time wrapping his mind around that idea. Even though he knew about his existence for over a year, Oliver didn’t expect to have the chance to have him in his life. And now William lived with him.

Oliver was waiting to take him to school on his way to work. William started school for a week, and Oliver didn’t really know how things were going for him. William was still reticent, not talking much to him.

Felicity told him to be patient, and give him some room and let him come to him, but Oliver was anxious. He couldn’t help it. 

Oliver looked at Felicity who was humming and sipping her coffee, savoring her first cup of the morning, and went to sit beside her. She looked at him, and placed her hand on his arm, squeezing gently. Oliver welcomed the gesture of support, and resumed to finish his coffee. 

“ We need vacation,” Felicity stated, stroking is arm. 

“ Felicity, I don’t think I can leave City Hall right now, I am working on a pressing case.”

“ Well it doesn’t have to be a long vacation, just a few days, or a week end. That way William doesn’t miss school. But I think we need some family time. Maybe it will help you too bound.” 

Oliver considered what Felicity said. He has been rather busy lately, both as mayor and as Green Arrow, and it was eating from the time he could spend with William. 

Family time. He would like that very much.

“ I’ll see what I can do.”

Felicity smiled at that. Oliver answered with a smile of his own. He liked seeing her like that. He liked to know he could make her smile, and make her happy. 

William came back with his backpack.

“You ready?”

William nodded.

“Alright let’s go.” Oliver leaned to kiss Felicity before getting up to join his son by the door.

“Have a good day,” Felicity said after them.

They settled into his car, and Oliver made sure William fastened correctly his seatbelt before starting the engine. Oliver was very wary regarding William’s safety, and he didn’t know how to ease up on that point, or if he should.

They drove in silent for a few minutes, and Oliver was feeling more and more unrest, but trying to not show it. Bonding. Glancing at his son he finally decided to break the silence. 

“So, what are you going to do today?” Oliver asked, holding himself from wincing at his daft question.

“ We are starting a group work project, the teacher said we will learn to work together,” William answered.

“This seems interesting” Oliver wasn’t worried, being the mayor, and a Queen had its privileges, and he was able to get William into a good school, one Oliver went to himself.

“I guess,” William shrugged.

“Are you making new friends?”

“I don’t know. That guy who sits next to me in class is nice”.

“Don’t worry, it will come soon” Oliver reassured him.

They finally arrived at William’s school, and Oliver parked in front to the entrance, in the park reserved to parents. They exited the car, and Oliver walked William to his class. 

The teacher, Mrs. Parker, greeted them both enthusiastically, which seemed to be her usual temperament. William rejoined his place, under the gaze of Oliver.

“How is he adjusting to the class?” Oliver asked, turning toward Mrs. Parker.

“He is doing fine, there is no worry. It is still early in this new year, the classmates don’t all know each other yet, and we have two other new students in this class that weren’t there last year. Really, there is no worry to have just yet”

Oliver thanked her and with one long last glance toward his son, he left.

Maybe Felicity was right, a little trip, the three of them could help them bond. Have a good time. It was worth the try, Oliver thought.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading :)


End file.
